KOF '95 Static Recompilation (kof95sr)

Native static recompilation and source port of The King of Fighters '95 (SNK Neo Geo MVS / AES) for modern platforms (macOS, Linux, Windows, PlayStation 5, PlayStation Vita).

Architected and coded by Antigravity
Pair-programmed with seba371375
📦 PS Vita Release on VitaDB: The King of Fighters '95 (VitaDB #1719)

Instead of traditional full-system emulation, kof95sr translates the original Motorola 68000 arcade assembly ahead-of-time (AOT) into native C routines, executing them directly on the host CPU with zero interpreter overhead.

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✨ Features

• ⚡ Native Performance: Static recompilation of 28,000+ entry points into native C functions compiled with -O3 optimization (Clang / GCC / MSVC). Runs at locked 60 FPS on PC, natively on the PS5's AMD Zen 2 CPU, and at 444 MHz on the PS Vita's ARM Cortex-A9 with branchless 64-bit sprite rasterization.
• 🔊 Bit-Perfect Dual-Core Sound: Authentic Yamaha YM2610 (OPNB) FM / SSG / ADPCM audio synthesis powered by ymfm running at native 55.5 kHz / 48 kHz stereo, synchronized with the Z80 sound CPU and authentic attract demo sound. Uses an asynchronous dual-core worker thread (offloaded to CPU Core 1 on PS Vita) so audio synthesis never blocks frame rendering.
• 🖥️ Display & Video Filters:
  • Neo Geo LSPC scanline-by-scanline raster renderer with pixel-accurate sprite zoom, palette banking, 4:3 arcade aspect ratio, integer scaling, and letterboxing via SDL2 Accelerated, OpenGL, or PS Vita GXM (vitaGL).
  • Real-time video post-processing filters: Raw Pixel (Nearest), Bilinear (Smooth), CRT Scanlines (50% & 75%), CRT Trinitron (Aperture Grille RGB), Scale2x (Pixel HD), and CRT Warm (Curved).
  • Native 1920x1080 fullscreen mode on PlayStation 5 and 960x544 hardware GXM scaling on PlayStation Vita with VSync lock.
• 🎮 Controller & Input Support:
  • Full hotplug support for DualSense (PS5), DualShock 4 (PS4), PS Vita built-in controls, Xbox, Switch Pro, fightsticks, and keyboard.
  • Independent controller mapping ensuring Player 1 and Player 2 are never duplicated on multi-interface devices.
  • 3 Gamepad Layout Presets selectable anytime in-game:
    • 0: SNK Default (Cross=A, Circle=B, Square=C, Triangle=D)
    • 1: Fighting Modern (Square=A, Triangle=C, Cross=B, Circle=D)
    • 2: KOF Classic Line (Square=A, Cross=B, Triangle=C, R1=D)
  • Dedicated macro shortcuts: L1/L (Emergency Roll / Dodge), R1/R (Blow-Away Attack), L2 / Right Stick (Power Charge), R2 / Right Stick (Taunt).
• ⏸️ Interactive In-Game OSD Menu & Diagnostics:
  • Press L3 + R3 (or L1 + R1 + Options) on gamepad, SELECT + START on PS Vita, or Tab / F1 on keyboard.
  • Automatic Emulation & Audio Pause: Opening the menu cleanly freezes the game simulation, timer, and audio output. Resuming restores gameplay seamlessly.
  • DIP Switch Settings: Adjust game difficulty (Level 1 to 8), arcade blood color (Red/Off), Free Play, and Coin Chutes.
  • Keyboard Rebinding Submenu: Remap Player 1 and Player 2 keyboard actions directly from the GUI.
  • On-Screen Missing ROM/BIOS Diagnostic: Automatically initializes expected ROM directories on first boot and displays a clear visual diagnostic screen if any BIOS (neogeo.zip) or game (kof95.zip) ROM files are missing.
  • Full Persistence: Configurations automatically save to kof95_dips.cfg and kof95_controls.cfg (in the local folder on PC, /data/kof95/ on PS5, or ux0:data/kof95/ on PS Vita).
• ⭐ Gameplay Enhancements:
  • Duplicate Characters: Optional Team Edit setting allowing duplicate fighters on the same team (e.g., triple Kyo, triple Iori).
  • Random Select [?] Slot: Interactive random slot added to the character selection grid, confirmable with any attack button with authentic stage re-roll.

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📁 ROM Requirements & Placement

[!IMPORTANT] This repository does not contain any copyrighted ROMs, BIOS, or game assets. You must provide your own legally obtained dumps from an authentic SNK Neo Geo MVS arcade or AES cartridge.

1. File List (Total 18 unzipped files)

kof95sr automatically detects both NeoRAGEx/dump naming (.bin) and standard MAME naming (.p1, .c1, etc.):

Category	File Names (MAME / .bin)	Size	Description
Program (CPU)	084-p1.p1 or 084-p1.bin	2 MB	68000 main program code (Note: KOF '95 only uses a single P ROM)
Fix / Text	084-s1.s1 or 084-s1.bin	128 KB	Text, HUD, and menu layer graphics
Sound CPU	084-m1.m1 or 084-m1.bin	128 KB	Z80 sound sub-CPU driver program
Voices / ADPCM	084-v1.v1, 084-v2.v2, 084-v3.v3(or 084-v1.bin, 084-v2.bin, 084-v3.bin)	4MB, 2MB, 1MB	YM2610 ADPCM sample and voice tracks
Sprite Tiles	084-c1.c1 .. 084-c8.c8(or 084-c1.bin .. 084-c8.bin)	8 files (1-4 MB)	Character sprites and background graphics
Neo Geo BIOS	sp-s2.sp1 (or asia-s3.rom, uni-bios_4_0.rom)sfix.sfixsm1.sm1000-lo.lo	128 KB each	Neo Geo MVS/AES system BIOS and font ROMs

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2. ROM Placement by Platform

Place all 18 unzipped files into the path corresponding to your platform:

Platform	ROM Directory Path	Notes
macOS / Linux / Windows	./roms/ (in the project/run folder)	Can be customized via --rom-path /path/to/roms
PlayStation 5	/data/kof95/roms/	Transfer via FTP (/data/kof95/roms/). Fallbacks: /data/kof95/, /user/homebrew/kof95/roms/
PlayStation Vita	ux0:data/kof95/roms/	Transfer via VitaShell FTP/USB. Fallbacks: ux0:data/kof95/, uma0:data/kof95/roms/

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💻 Building & Running on PC (Linux, macOS, Windows)

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu / Debian / Nobara / Fedora:

  sudo apt-get install build-essential cmake ninja-build libsdl2-dev zlib1g-dev libgl1-mesa-dev
  # Or on Fedora/Nobara:
  sudo dnf install gcc gcc-c++ cmake ninja-build SDL2-devel mesa-libGL-devel
  

• macOS:

  brew install cmake ninja sdl2
  

• Windows (Visual Studio 2022 / MSVC):
  • Install Visual Studio 2022 with Desktop C++ and CMake.
  • Install SDL2 with vcpkg:

    vcpkg install sdl2:x64-windows
    

Compilation

Quick Native Build (macOS & Linux):

# Direct fast build without CMake (outputs to build/bin/kof95)
./scripts/build_native.sh

Via CMake & Ninja:

# Configure with Release optimizations (-O3)
cmake -S . -B build/recomp -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DKOF95_ROM_DIR=roms

# Build executable
ninja -C build/recomp

Windows:

cmake -S . -B build/recomp -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DKOF95_ROM_DIR=roms -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE="$env:VCPKG_ROOT/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake"
cmake --build build/recomp --config Release

Running on PC

# Standard launch
./build/bin/kof95
# (or ./build/recomp/kof95 if built via CMake)

# On Linux Wayland (force X11 / XWayland):
SDL_VIDEODRIVER=x11 ./build/bin/kof95

# Custom window scale (default: 3)
./build/bin/kof95 --scale 4

# Force graphics renderer (opengl / sdl / vulkan)
NG_RENDERER=opengl ./build/bin/kof95

⚡ Side-by-Side Latency Verification Suite

Compare input response latency side-by-side with original Neo Geo MVS arcade emulation (FinalBurn Neo core) with synchronized inputs:

# Compare native macOS/PC recompilation vs Neo Geo arcade:
./scripts/test_latency.sh native

# Compare PS Vita (via Vita3K) vs Neo Geo arcade:
./scripts/test_latency.sh vita

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🎮 Building & Running on PlayStation 5 (Native Homebrew)

The game compiles directly as a native PS5 ELF payload running on bare metal with DualSense controller support and hardware VSync.

PS5 Requirements

• A PlayStation 5 console on vulnerable firmware (3.00 – 4.51, or WebKit/BD-J exploit compatible).
• An active ELF Loader (e.g. port 9020 / 9021) or Homebrew Loader / ItemzFlow.
• An active FTP server on the console (e.g. ftpsrv.elf on port 2121).

Cross-Compiling for PS5 on PC

1. Install ps5-payload-sdk on your PC (e.g. ~/ps5-payload-sdk).
2. Build the PS5 target in Release mode:

   cmake -S . -B build/ps5 \
         -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=cmake/ps5.toolchain.cmake \
         -DKOF95_ROM_DIR=$PWD/roms \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
   
   cmake --build build/ps5 --target kof95 -j$(nproc)
   
   # Strip debug symbols
   ~/ps5-payload-sdk/bin/prospero-strip -s build/ps5/kof95 -o build/ps5/kof95.elf
   

Deploying to PS5 via FTP

Transfer the files to your PS5 internal storage:

• Game ROM files: Upload the 18 ROM files to /data/kof95/roms/
• Executable: Upload build/ps5/kof95.elf to:
  • /data/kof95/kof95.elf
  • /data/homebrew/kof95/eboot.elf (for Homebrew Loader / ItemzFlow)

Launching on PS5

• Via Homebrew Loader / ItemzFlow: Launch KOF95 from the homebrew list.
• Via Netcat / ELF Loader:

  nc -w 3 <IP_DE_TU_PS5> 9020 < build/ps5/kof95.elf
  

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🕹️ Building & Running on PlayStation Vita (VitaDB / .vpk)

kof95sr builds as a native PS Vita homebrew package (kof95.vpk, Title ID KOF950001) running at 444 MHz ARM Cortex-A9 with GXM hardware scaling (960x544) and extended memory (ATTRIBUTE2=12 / 192 MB user heap).

• Download directly on PS Vita: Available via VitaDB Downloader or on the web at VitaDB #1719.
• On-Screen ROM Diagnostic: If launched before copying the ROM or BIOS files, the game automatically creates ux0:data/kof95/roms/ and displays an on-screen diagnostic screen indicating which files (neogeo.zip or kof95.zip) are missing and the exact directory path where they are expected.

Cross-Compiling kof95.vpk with VitaSDK

1. Install VitaSDK (or use the official vitasdk/vitasdk:latest Docker image).
2. Generate the recompiled C sources on the host machine first, then cross-compile for PS Vita:

   # 1. Host build (generates AOT C blocks and Musashi tables)
   cmake -S . -B build/recomp -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DKOF95_ROM_DIR=$PWD/roms
   cmake --build build/recomp --target kof95 -j$(nproc)
   
   # 2. PS Vita cross-compilation (.vpk package)
   cmake -S . -B build/vita \
         -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=cmake/vita.toolchain.cmake \
         -DKOF95_ROM_DIR=$PWD/roms \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
   cmake --build build/vita --target kof95.vpk-vpk -j$(nproc)
   

Installing & Running on PS Vita

1. Install build/vita/kof95.vpk on your PS Vita using VitaShell.
2. Copy your unzipped MAME kof95 and neogeo BIOS ROM files into:

   ux0:data/kof95/roms/
   

   (Both .bin and standard MAME .p1/.c1/.s1/.m1/.v1 extensions are detected automatically).
3. Launch The King of Fighters '95 from the PS Vita LiveArea.
   • Insert Coin: SELECT
   • Start Game: START
   • Open / Close OSD Menu: SELECT + START (or L + R + START)
   • Roll / Dodge (A+B): L
   • Blow-Away Attack (C+D): R
   • Power Charge (A+B+C): Right Stick Left / Up
   • Taunt (B+C+D): Right Stick Right / Down

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🕹️ Controls Reference

Action	Player 1 (Keyboard)	Player 2 (Keyboard)	DualSense / Gamepad (SNK Preset)
Up / Down / Left / Right	Arrow Keys	W / S / A / D	D-Pad / Left Stick
A (Light Punch)	J	Z	Cross (✕) / A
B (Light Kick)	K	X	Circle (○) / B
C (Heavy Punch)	U	C	Square (□) / X
D (Heavy Kick)	I	V	Triangle (△) / Y
Emergency Roll / Dodge (A + B)	—	—	L1
Blow-Away Attack (C + D)	—	—	R1
Power Charge (A + B + C)	—	—	L2 (Left Trigger)
Taunt (B + C + D)	—	—	R2 (Right Trigger)
Start	1	2	Options / Start
Coin (Insert Credit)	F1 / 5	6	Click Touchpad / L3 / Select
Open / Close OSD Menu (Pause)	Tab / F1	—	L3 + R3 or L1 + R1 + Options
Toggle Fullscreen	F11 / Alt+Enter	—	Automatic (Native 1080p on PS5)
Quick Video Filter Toggle	F5	—	Selectable inside OSD Menu

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📚 Dependencies, References & Technical Documentation

This project builds upon foundational hardware reverse engineering, static recompilation toolkits, and open-source emulation cores:

• Static Recompilation Toolkit & Methodology:
  • neogeorecomp by sp00nznet — Base 68000-to-C static recompilation toolkit (m68krecomp) and Neo Geo MVS board runtime architecture.
  • Inspired by modern ahead-of-time (AOT) static recompilation techniques seen in projects such as N64Recomp and Zelda 64 Recomp.
• Emulation Cores & Audio Bridges:
  • Musashi 680x0 CPU Engine by Karl Stenerud — Used for opcode disassembly, conformance verification (--verify), and fallback decoding.
  • ymfm Yamaha FM/ADPCM Core by Aaron Giles — Bit-perfect Yamaha YM2610 (OPNB) FM, SSG, ADPCM-A, and ADPCM-B sound synthesis.
  • Z80 CPU Core by Manuel Sainz de Baranda y Goñi — Cycle-accurate Zilog Z80 sound CPU emulation.
• Target Platforms, Graphics & SDKs:
  • Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL2) — Cross-platform windowing, controller hotplug/input polling, and audio device management.
  • VitaSDK & vitaGL by Rinnegatamante — PlayStation Vita ARM GCC cross-compiler toolchain and hardware-accelerated GXM graphics library.
  • ps5-payload-sdk by John Törnblom — PlayStation 5 native bare-metal homebrew toolchain.
• Hardware Documentation & Architecture:
  • NeoGeo Development Wiki — Hardware register specifications, LSPC video timings, memory mapping, and graphics formats.
  • Neo Geo MVS/AES Technical Information — Cartridge bankswitching and Z80 sound port interfaces.

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📜 License & Disclaimers

This project is licensed under the MIT License — see the LICENSE file for full details.

• Codebase Author: Architected and coded by Antigravity (Google DeepMind) in pair-programming collaboration with seba371375.
• Game Copyright: The King of Fighters '95 is © 1995 SNK Corporation. All rights reserved. This repository contains NO copyrighted ROMs, code, artwork, or sound files. Users must provide their own legally acquired game ROMs.
• Third-Party Licenses:
  • neogeorecomp base runtime & m68krecomp: © sp00nznet (MIT).
  • ymfm sound core: © Aaron Giles (BSD 3-Clause).
  • Musashi 68000 core: © Karl Stenerud (MIT).
  • Z80 CPU core: © Manuel Sainz de Baranda y Goñi (LGPLv3 / Zlib).
  • vitaGL: © Rinnegatamante (MIT).
  • SDL2: © Sam Lantinga (zlib License).